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Here is a photo of a small wood working piece. I've made a few rakusu rings out of wood. This one landed on the neck of a small turtle statue at Mountain Lamp zendo. There is a famous Zen story that goes with this. It is about how hard it is to be human and how luck we are to find the dharma.

This story is from 1279 by a Japanese monk named Nichiren Daishonin who founded the Nichiren School of Buddhism. I don't know any thing about this group other than they still are around and they seem to put a lot of emphasis on the Lotus Sutra.

Not sure I could get along with the Nichiren School of Buddhism yet this parable is a good one. I guess this really isn't a 'Zen' story but appropriate none the less.

Beautiful art work everyone! I can't draw a straight line with a ruler so my outlet is photography. I remember shooting his one as an after thought, on my way out of the area I was shooting in. My first thought upon seeing the raw file was Zen. Not sure how you'll see it though.

It's been scaled down here, so click on the image to see a slightly larger, but viewable version.

My favourite photographic medium is black and white. I'll post some more from time to time if you would like.

Have you considered the idea that you can express reality, and yourself, through tradition very effectively?

Recently yes, but the why is important to me. At the time of posting I had been considering my wanting to learn the classics a type of end gaming. So I could say, Hey I did sompthing great! And now I think I have snuffed out that view and replaced it with another, hey I made my own song, aren't I great! Which is also not helpful.

I am currently interested in learning the classics again, simply to know them. Just a matter of changing perspective. I try and do that at least two times a day :wink: However lessons are not free, so I am content to just breath into the Shak when I have a moment. If it is learning a classic or just blowing Ro, Or just passing wind through the flute its all good.